Platform support apparatus



y 1958 B. HARSHBARGER ET AL 2,833,503

PLATFORM SUPPORT APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1955 v INVENTORS: LVNN B. HARSHBARGER BY j PAL/L. MEVER .4 T TORNE vs.

I 2,833,503 I e H I PLATFORM SUPPORT APPARATUS Lynn B. Harshbarger and Paul E. Meyer,

' Long Beach, Calif.

Application April 18, 1955,'Ser ial No. 501,842 2 Claims. Cl. 248-235) The present invention relates generally to the field of construction and more particularly to novel apparatus for supporting a horizontally disposed platform against the face of a vertically extending wall.

in constructing walls of the type employing a plurality of aligned horizontally-spaced and vertically-extending wooden studs, it is desirable to utilizea' platform upon which one or more w'ork'men'maystand while perform- Such platforms must be moved both vertically and horizontallyrelativeto the face of;

25: such platforms are supported by means of scaffolding. The initial cost of such scaffoldingjas well as the labor; cost required in its assembly, reassembly as the plat-I,

ing Work upon the wall.

the'wall as the work thereon progresses. Generally,

form is moved and disassembly after the job is com pleted, is comparatively high. Another disadvantage resulting from the use of scaifoldinglies in the con-j siderable time and 'efiort required to transport it to and from a building site. I I I I I It is a majorobject of the present invention to-provide platform support'apparatus which eliminates the use of scaffolding. I

Another object is to provide platform support apparatus which is light, compact and inexpensive as compared to scaffolding. I

A further object is to provide platform'su'pport apparatus which will afford arigid and secure mounting for a platform.

Yet another object, of the invention is to provide platform supportapparatus which is simple of design and rugged of construction, whereby it may afford a long and trouble-free service life. I

An additional object is to provide platform support apparatus which is readily adjustable both vertically and horizontally relative to a wall. I

A more'particular object is 'to provide apparatus of to support a horizontal platform P against the face of a this nature which may be easily adjusted for use with studs of different size. I I a 7 Another object is to provide platform support apparatus which incorporates integral means for mounting a guard rail adjacent the front end of the platform being supported.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing platform support apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the support members of said apparatus;

Figure 3 is a further enlarged perspective view of a detail of a hook utilized with said apparatus; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a guard rail utilized with said apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, a preferred form of apparatus A embodying the present invention is adapted vertically extending wall W formed of a plurality of vertically extending wooden studs S. Theplatform vP may be formed of one or more wooden planks 10. The apparatus A includes at least two support members, generally designated 12 and 12.

18. A diagonal compression element 20, extends downof the studs S so as to support the load-bearing element 14; of each support member 12 horizontally and at substantially a right angle relative to such stud..

More particularly, the load-bearing element -;14 and-: the compression element 20 will each; preferably be formed of metal tubing, Theupper endof the compression element 20 is rigidly afiixed as by welding to the underside of the load-bearing element, 1 In order to increase the rigidity of thesupportmembers 12, one or; more vertical spacers 24 may be secured between the I load-bearing element and the compression element as,by* welding. As indicated in Figures Zand 3, the hook 16-; includes a mounting element 26 ofinverted L-shaped'i cross-section which forms an integral rearward extension, of the load-bearing element 14, and anengagement ele-, ment '28 which is'removably' secured to one side 29-of; the mounting element 26, as by'a bolt and nut combination 30. The bolt and nut combinationjt) is selectively", inserted within one of a. plurality, of spaced-apart bores 32 formed along 'the length of the mounting element 26. The engagement element 28 includes a body 34,i

the face 35- of which extends at right- -angles to the ad,-.

jacent side of the mounting element 26, and an integral? forwardly extending lip 36 which extends forwardly, from 1 theside of; the face 35 remote from the mounting =.ele-- ment 26. An integraltopplate 38 overlaps the upper web 40 of'the mounting element 26 asiindicated at 42 iii'Figure 3.

by the boreof a short piece of metal tubing 48, which is the longitudinal axis of the load-bearing-element.- 1 1 In order to secure one of the support members 12*toa stud S it is only necessary toarrangefit in' themanner shown in Figures 1 and 2. Referring thereto, it will be seen that the side 29 of the mounting element 26 abuts one side of the stud S, the face 35 of the engagement element 28 abuts the rear side of the stud, and the lip 36 abuts the rear portion of the opposite side of the stud. The distance between the stud-abutting side 29 of the mounting element and the lip 36 should be only slightly greater than the width of the stud. The rear face of the front wall 44 of the abutment element 22 engages the front face of the stud S while inner face 47 of the side wall 46 abuts the side of the stud engaged by the stud-abutting side 29 of the mounting element 26. The latter side 29 is in vertical alignment with the inner face 47 of the side Patented Ma a, 1958.

Each of these support, members .12 and 12' comprises an elongated, horizon-.- tally extending load-bearing element 14 formed at its rear end with a hook 16 and at its front end with a socketv The abutment element 22 includes a ver-f tically extending front wall 44 rigidly secured a'sby weld- I 'ing to therear end of the compressionelement 20,and an'integral side wall 46 which extends rearwardly from* one side of the front wall 44. The socket 118 is defined horizontal distance between andthe rear surfaceof front wall 44 of the abutment element22 approximatesthedepth of the stud. Whenso arranged, the weight of the support member 12 will generally be suflicient to maintain it in place upon the stud.

It maybe desirable,.however, to insert one or more nails formed with U-shaped hold'ersS6-adapted to removably receive a horizontal guard" rail 58.

As indicated in Figure l, at least two of the support members Hand 12'' will be'utilizedto' support the platform B. Each: of thesesupport members will be mounted at thesame elevation onthestuds S. Once they have been so mounted one or more of the planks 10 will be laidacross 'the top of the load-bearing elements 14. Thereafter, the

wedging action afforded between the face 35 of the hook 1'6 and the rearface of the'frontwall 44' of the abutment element 22 of each support member 12 will securely anchor the support members against downward vertical movement relative to their respective studs. the heavier the load placed upon the platform P, the greater the resistance against such downward movement.

In order'to restrain the support elements from pivotal action relative to the vertical axis of the studs S, a sway brace,- generally designated 60, maybe interposed between one or' bothof the support members 12 and.12 and an adjoining stud The sway brace '60 is preferably formed of a single length'of wire rod and it includes a rearwardly extending mounting pin 62, a rear arm 64 extending outwardly therefrom, an adjustment loop 66 which isformedby bending the wire rod about itself at the outer end of'the rear arm 64,- afront arm 68 extending forwardly from the adjustment loop 66, anda front mount-U ing pin 70 formed atthe inner end of the front arm 68.

The rear mounting pin 62 is pivotally disposed within a bore 72 formed in'ariear74 whichis integrally secured to the mounting element 26. The front mounting pin 70 is pivotally disposed within a similar bore (not shown) formed in an L-shaped bracket 78' which is'rigidly atfixed as by welding to one side of thedoad-b'earing element 14.

A cotter pin 80 may be inserted through the forward portion of the front mounting pin 70 so'as to hold it'in place. The adjustment loop 66 is adapted to receive one ormore nails 82 which are driven into the stud adjacent the one to which the support member 12 is afiixed. The width of this mounting loopprovides for inaccuracies in the distance between the adjoining studs S.-

It should be particularly noted that the provision of the plurality ofbores 32 in the mounting element 26 of the hook 16 permits the support members to be utilized with studs of varying depth.

Whilerthere hasbeen shown and described hereinbefore what is presently considered to be the preferred form of the presenttinvention, it will be apparent that various modithe face of 'the book 16 ffications and. changes may 4 be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following'claims.

We claim: 1

1. Platform support apparatus for use with a plurality of vertically'extending studs, comprising: a support having an elongated horizontally extending load-bearing member formed at its rear end with a hook that engages one of said studs, and a diagonal compression member extending downwardly and rea'rwardlyv from the. underside of the front portion of said load-bearing member, the rear end of said compression" member being formed with an abutment element that engages'tlie stud with which said hook is engaged below the point of contact of said hook and stud; and a sway brace extending sidewardly from said load sway brace including a rear arm, an adjustment loop formed at the outer portion of said rear arm and a front arm extending forwardly from said loop, the ends of said front and rear arms adjacent'said load bearing member being'pivotally'aflixedto the latter.

2. Platform support apparatus for use with a vertically extending stud, comprising: asupport member having a horiiontally extending load-bearing member and a compression member which extends downwardly and rearwardly from the underside of .the front portion of said load-bearing member, the rear end of said compression member being formed with an abutment element that engages one of said studs; a hook engageable with the stud engaged by said abutment element at a point spaced above the pointof contact between said abutment element and stud; connection means between said hook and the rear end of said load-bearing member, said connection means permitting longitudinal adjustment of said hook relative to the rear portion ofsaid load-bearing member; and a sway brace extending sidewardly from said load bearing member for engagement with a stud' adjoining the stud engaged by said hook and abutment elements, said sway brace including a' rear arm, an adjustment loop formed at the outer portion of, said rear arm and a front arm extending forwardly from said l'oop,'the ends of said front and rear arms adjacent said load bearing member being pivotally affixed to the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

